Illinois Symbols

American Folk Dance, Amphibian, Animal, Bird, Fish, Flag, Flower, Fossil, Insect, Language, Mineral, Motto, Nicknames, Prairie Grass, Reptile, Seal, Slogan, Snack food, Soil, Song, Theatre, Tree

State symbols represent things that are special to a particular state.

symbol \ˈsim-bəl\
noun

Etymology:
in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Date: 15th century

1: Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.